On our part, we’re getting things organized and settled behind the scenes. But what we need from you all, what we need each year to make GeekGirlCon the most memorable and magical weekend we possibly can, is programming submissions. Specifically, we need the excellent panel ideas that we’ve come to expect from our GeekGirlCon family.

This year, your deadline to submit applications for all kinds of programming is April 30. You have some time, so use it to refine your applications and track down potential panelists. While you’re working, here are some FAQs about panel applications with answers from our very own Panel Program staffers.

[Image Description: Three panelists from a past GeekGirlCon sit laughing with each other.] Adaptation, Appropriation, Influence: Using Other Cultures to Build Fictional Worlds, GeekGirlCon ’16. Photo by Danny Ngan.

Con Prep is a new series of blog pieces providing tips, suggestions and other ideas as to help you prepare for convention season.

This piece was written by Guest Contributor Cassie Tolhurst.

Convention season is coming, and along with it, people dressed as Daenerys, Arya, and Sansa. You’ll see other characters too—some from galaxies far, far away or from universes yet unknown to the common person. Others descend from on high, ascend from down low, or step out of cities somehow twistedly familiar. You, as the duly appointed representative of planet Earth, recognize them all and herald their arrival at comic conventions every fall.

Regardless of where the characters usually dwell, their on-screen or in-book depictions claim an ability you don’t: immunity to the need for connectivity. Fortunately, the eleven tech tips listed here can grant you that power. Some you already know from attending gaming or comic book conventions in the past. Others will provide practical inspiration for the upcoming convention season.

It’s been a week since the success of GeekGirlCon ’15, and if you’re already missing it, here’s a roundup of some of the fantastic press we’ve received following our con:

Conshark wrote up a recap of the overall event, highlighting that what makes GeekGirlCon unique is our focus on our community, and Persephone Magazine also offers a great summary of our con, including some livetweets from our panels and a cosplay photo gallery. Becky from No Continues Media describes our con as “one of the most immersive experiences as an attendee I’ve ever had at a convention”, and Whiletrue.do has a short but heartwarming piece on three ways she was inspired at GeekGirlCon. Nicole from Across the Board Games has a recap where she also recounts her experience as an exhibitor and panelist, and describes GeekGirlCon as her favorite convention in Seattle!

Photo by Danny Ngan Photography.

For those of you who like pictures, Jetspace has a great photographic summary of the highlights from the convention, and Bitch Media has a lovely rundown of some of the costumes and events. Of course, GeekGirlCon wouldn’t be GeekGirlCon without a healthy dose of cosplay; GeekMom’s cosplay gallery shows off some of the awesome costumes from the weekend. GeekMom also gives us the lowdown on some of the swag she found on our exhibitor floor, ranging from geeky food, to amazing apparel, to many fluffy, cute things.

Although we hardworking staffers will provide you with panel recaps throughout the coming year, sometimes we get beaten to the punch by our amazing con attendees. [Re]meshed.com has a detailed article on Anita Sarkeesian and Zoe Quinn’s packed panel, and Sonja from Soultamer Gaming has produced not one, but three panel write-ups on QUILTBAGs in Geekdom, the representation of Asians in the media, and Elsa S. Henry’s panel, Blind Lady Versus, where she demonstrates what gaming is like for blind and low vision players. She’s also got a piece on our Kick-Off event from the Friday night before the con. Talk about dedication!

Photo by Nicole Tanner of Pixelkin.

One of the things that GeekGirlCon prides itself on is its family-friendly focus. Nicole from Pixelkin did a lovely write-up about how GeekGirlCon was a great way to bond with her daughter. We also even got a whole episode on a gaming podcast! Here’s Epic Drop’s episode discussion what GeekGirlCon is about, and recapping how much fun the family had, including an interview with a five-year-old Geek Girl!

Finally, we also got coverage from MSNBC in a video about cosplay and science, featuring our own Raychelle Burks and Torrey Stenmark!

Have you come across any other press for GeekGirlCon? Let us know in the comments below!

Friday, February 1-Sunday, March 10:Photograph 51From the website: “The Seattle Rep presents “Photograph 51 “ by Anna Ziegler
From the website: An intriguing portrait of British scientist Rosalind Franklin and her—often overlooked—role in the discovery of DNA’s double helix structure. This complex tale explores how Franklin, a smart, stubborn, and courageous woman, operated in a field dominated by men. A balance of the historical, romantic, and scientific, Photograph 51 is a touching human play of ideas.”

Friday, February 1-Sunday, February 3:FoolsCap ConFrom the website: “Foolscap is a small weekend conference where readers, writers, visual artists, and other people who love science fiction and fantasy meet, learn, talk to each other, and have a great time together.” It is occurring at the same time as Potlatch 22.

Friday, February 1-Sunday, February 3:Potlatch 22From the website: “Potlatch is about books: the books we love, and why we love them. Potlatch is about good conversation, conversation about books, and how they fit in our lives, and also about almost anything else you can think of. Potlatch is about speculative fiction, both SF and Fantasy. Potlatch is about sharing: sharing with old friends as well as the ones we just met: sharing great meals, sharing small adventures, sharing our favorite tipple, and sharing our ideas in the ongoing conversation that is Potlatch. At the center of that conversation is a single great book, one we hope everyone will have read by the time we get together, so that we can take a common starting point to range out from.” It is occurring at the same time as FoolsCap.

Wednesday, February 13:GeekWire MeetupFrom the event page: “Mix and mingle with key members of the Seattle tech community at the beautiful new Hub Seattle startup and co-working space in Pioneer Square.”

Friday, February 15:EMP Art of Video Games OpeningFrom the website: “Celebrate the opening of The Art of Video Games with a family-friendly Game Nite! Enjoy tournament style gaming on popular consoles on EMP’s monumental Sky Church screen; classic tabletop gaming with Blue Highway Games in the EMP Lounge; spotlight talks that offer insight into the lives of industry professionals in EMP’s JBL Theater; and a test arcade where audiences can sample the latest and greatest projects from local up-and-coming game designers.” Also, GeekGirlCon has a booth! Stop by!

Friday, February 15-Sunday, February 17:RadCon Science Fiction Convention (Pasco, Washington)From the website: “RadCon, the big con with a small con feel, is a Science-Fiction Convention held annually in Pasco, Washington. We cater to all genre of the SciFi community.”

Saturday, February 16:Grab Bag 2: Electric BoobalooFrom the event page: “Unnatural Redhead Productions is proud to bring “Grab Bag 2: Electric Boobaloo! A burlesque revue with something for everyone!” to Seattle this February. Do you like horses? Sexy clowns? Robots? Flamingos? Classic fan dances? Nerdy burlesque? Singing? No matter what interest or preference, this show will have something to please every audience member!”

Saturday, February 18-Sunday, February 19:Northwest Scale Modelers ShowFrom the website: “See hundreds upon hundreds of model aircraft, cars, tanks, ships, spacecraft, and more as NWSM members display their collections. Meet expert modelers and learn about the fascinating hobby of scale modeling. The show also will feature special displays of models representing famous aircraft produced by the Mikoyan-and-Gurevich Design Bureau and creatures and hardware from the Star Wars series.

Friday, February 22-Sunday, February 24:FaerieCon WestFrom the website: “The FaerieCon universe [expands] to embrace fantasy, steampunk, goth, metaphysics, and many other genres who enjoy sharing their diverse interests and passions throughout the weekend.”

Saturday, February 23-Sunday, February 24BeyondConFrom the website: “BeyondCon is a costuming relaxacon event where you can learn new costuming techniques, share techniques you have developed, and hang out for the weekend with other costumers.

What are you excited for in February? Leave us a comment about what your geeky plans are or email Shubz at shubz@geekgirlcon.com to have it added to our events list! Please keep in mind that we, at GeekGirlCon, reserve the right to add or omit event entries.

Steamcon is a regional convention in the Pacific Northwest dedicated to steampunk. Steampunk, if you are not familiar with it, is a sub-genre of science fiction and fantasy based on steam-powered mechanisms focused in the 19th century, most often during the Victorian era. But, that is a very simple description. The steampunk aesthetic has grown beyond literature to art, music, costumes, clothing, and even Justin Bieber. After four successful conventions, Steamcon shows no sign of slowing down.

I chose to go the monster hunter route so I could vanquish the likes of any vampires or werewolves lurking in the glow of gaslight. It is always better to patrol in pairs so I bought along my friend—and her crossbow.

Even a monocled, gentleman werewolf was not safe from our pursuit.

Batgirl and Supergirl lent a hand to rid the con of evil…

…and mad scientists. (But seriously this extra-capacity brain set up is totally amazing.)

So amazing that I believe another view of that awesome mad scientist is necessary. And check out the antique syringes on the belt.

Lots more families donning the steampunk garb at Steamcon IV. So cute!

Steampunk has a neat aesthetic no doubt, and it’s easy to get caught up in a word of mad science, shiny brass gears, bustles, and buckles. However, because the Victorian era was also one of extreme racism, classism, and sexism, it can be problematic to adopt uncritically the styles, etiquette, and habits of the period. Just as GeekGirlCon strives to create space for everyone, including the often marginalized fans, there is a dedicated group in steampunk working toward inclusiveness. Check out blogs like Silver Goggles, Beyond Victoriana, and Steampunk Emma Goldman for critical insights into the era and the steampunk community itself.

Next year, the Steamcon theme is “Around the World.” I might pull out the ol’ airship mechanic coveralls inspired by Cherie Priest’s Boneshaker for next year. Or do something totally new—who knows. If you were to attend Steamcon V, what kind of costume would you put together?

–Adrienne Fox is a conservationist by day, but by night this geek unwinds on the couch with some Firefly and Hammer horror. Or you might find her cozied up with a stack of comics and steaming cup of Earl Grey. Adrienne came to Seattle by way of a childhood in Pennsylvania and college years in Rhode Island. For as long as she can remember she’s been amassing geek collectibles, like the mail-away for Boba Fett, her 12-inch talking Tick, and recently obtained BSG Top Gun stein. Also a rabid soccer fan, her love of the U.S. Women’s National Team, Manchester United, and the Seattle Sounders knows no bounds. You may see her at Emerald City Comicon, Steamcon, the “Clink,” and random comic shops around town.

Saturday, November 3rd:The Atomic Bombshells LIVE at Columbia City Theatre!From the Brown Paper Tickets Site: “Hot off the heels of a headlining spot at Bumbershoot, The Atomic Bombshells, named “Seattle’s most venerable burlesque dancers” (The Stranger) and “the city’s most dazzling Burlesque troupe” (Seattle Weekly), bring their internationally celebrated brand of fabulous and polished high-camp burlesque to the oldest vaudeville theater in Washington. After a busy season of performances in New Orleans, the San Juan Islands, and the Triple Door and Bumbershoot stages in Seattle, the Bombshells return this fall to the gorgeously renovated Columbia City Theater, offering up a chance to see the country’s burlesque ALL-STARS (members include 2011’s Reigning Queen of Burlesque, and Miss Viva Las Vegas 2011) in a rare and intimate setting that has been named a “Best of Seattle” by Seattle Weekly. With a different exciting show each week, you’ll want to catch these icons more than once, as it’s their last run of shows before 2013….perfect for group events and parties, VIP tables are available for reservation! Your evening will be complete with Columbia City Theater’s full bar and delicious food. (Note: This is every Saturday in the month of November.)

Saturday, November 3rd – Sunday, November 4th:Sherlock ConventionFrom the website: “​The Sherlock Seattle Convention is a celebration of all things Sherlock and as such will feature many interesting and informative panels, fun and entertaining events, as well as a large screen presentation of BBC’s television production, SHERLOCK: Season 2 – A Scandal in Belgravia, The Hounds of Baskerville, and The Reichenbach Fall!” Please note: Advanced ticket sales are closed and there are no at-the-door membership sales. Please check their website for any changes.

Wednesday, November 7th: Everything vs. Everything!From the Facebook event page: “Unnatural Redhead Productions is proud to bring “Everything vs. Everything! A pop-culture explosion of pirates, ninjas, zombies, robots and more!” to Seattle this November. Iconic heroes and monsters will vy to win the audiences’ hearts in this burlesque extravaganza. Will Godzilla reign supreme? Which will triumph in the end, pirates or ninjas? These questions and more will answered with a heaping helping of glitter to boot!”

Wednesday, November 7th:Kurtis Wiebe SigningFrom the Facebook event page: “Kurtis Wiebe author of Image books: Intrepids, Green Wake, Peter Panzerfaust, Debris and Grim Leaper will be signing in the store Wednesday November 7th from 3-8pm! Come in and meet one of our favorite authors and check out his excellent books!”

Thursday, November 8th – Friday, November 16th:Where No Man Has Gone BeforeFrom the Brown Paper Tickets page: “Adventure! Beautiful women! Exotic alien worlds! Seattle Experimental Theater is proud to present its original unscripted comedy Where No Man Has Gone Before, a fully improvised parody of the original Star Trek TV series. Each night the cast will use suggestions from the audience to create the world and plot of the show. Where No Man Has Gone Before is appropriate for all ages.”

Thursday, November 15th – Saturday, November 17th:Stories for Bad ChildrenFrom the press release: “ Once upon a time there were two sisters. One day they went into the woods and encountered something weird like a talking wombat or an ancient cheese-scented crone. The good sister was perfectly polite and did whatever they asked. The bad sister was all “Piss off, freaks!” So the bad sister was cursed and the good sister got to marry a prince and ride a sapphire unicorn and lived happily ever after, blah blah blah. Bored with the good children? So are we. Vox Fabuli Puppets and Kendra & Michael Hayes team up to bring you STORIES FOR BAD CHILDREN, a cabaret-style show celebrating the naughty boys and girls of the fairy tale world. (Note: This is a show intended for audiences 15+)

Sunday, November 18th:Electro-dissection with the Geek ScoutsFrom the event page: “Solve the mystery of electronic components by dissecting (and destroying) old devices. We will use hand-tools to disassemble a variety of electronics, identify the parts and learn what they do. We will use this process of discovery to explain key concepts of electrical devices and develop a deeper understanding of how they work. There will also be a metal-working studio tour which will including demos of a cnc plasma cutter and cnc router and a demonstration of mig and tig welding.”

Friday, November 23rd – Saturday, November 24th:EtsyRAIN’s Handmade Holiday ShowFrom the Facebook event page: “Thanksgiving weekend come to the annual Handmade Holiday show at Marion Oliver McCaw Hall at Seattle Center. A bigger venue, more vendors and the biggest shopping day of the year add up to the BIGGEST craft show in etsyRAIN history. The first 100 shoppers through the door EACH DAY will receive a free swag bag. More than 100 hand-selected vendors will be selling their wares on Friday, November 23 from 11-6 and Saturday November 24 from 11-5 on two floors of the lobby. This event is free to the public and promises the best selection of unique, high-quality, locally handmade gifts, art and treats.”

Got a fantastic event in November you’d like to see on Geek About Town? Email Shubz at prcontent@geekgirlcon.com! (Keep in mind, we at GeekGirlCon do reserve the right to decide what we post.)

Hey everyone, Shubz here and back from a fun-filled weekend of sleeping in, sun, and LEGOS! That’s right, this past Saturday, I got an opportunity to check out BrickCon with my husband and a few of our friends. Feast your eyes on some of these impressive structures!

This pyramid is no joke! Check out all the detail in the layers to give it that unfinished look.

You can’t go wrong with Ron Swanson.

There was a booth with blacklight and light up lego structures, and my favorite was this beautiful chessboard.

Now this was definitely another favorite! BEHOLD THE BATCAVE! This was complete with a rotating panel that held Batman’s other suits and all the vehicles the Caped Crusader cannot go without.

I never knew the Justice League decorated so minimally.

Folks, this is only a fraction of the Hogwarts structure.

Another view of Hogwart’s. How awesome is that?

Please check out BrickCon’s site to catch more of the fun and building that happened this past weekend.

If you are a builder of any of the structures I have added, please email me at prcontent@geekgirlcon.com so I can properly give you props on your hard work and creativity.

Hi folks! Is it fall yet? Here in the Pacific Northwest, it’s hard to tell right now! Let’s celebrate this sun a little longer with some nerdy fun!

Tuesday, October 2nd: Tuesday Night Games at Raygun Lounge with Queer Geek!From the website: “This weekly meetup replaces the Monday meetup group that used to meet at Six Arms (and Chao Bistro before that). It will be held at the Raygun Lounge, Gamma Ray Games’ new game bar. Come and play board games and take part in other geeky pursuits and mingle with your fellow geeks” (Note: This is a weekly event so if you can’t catch Queer Geek! this time around, come through every Tuesday night for some gaming!)

Thursday, October 4th:Dominion TournamentPlease see invite for details. If you would like to participate in the tournament, you must register!

Friday, October 5th – Sunday, October 7th:BrickConFrom the website: BrickCon is a convention for adult fans, collectors, and builders of LEGO®.

Friday, October 5th – Sunday, October 7th:Maelstrom International Fantastic Film FestivalFrom the website: The Pacific Northwest’s premier weekend long event devoted towards independent and international genre filmmaking. The event was created to offer exposure to films that traditionally are overlooked by the festival circuit from genres including action, animation, fantasy, horror, and science fiction. The festival will feature an amazing selection of fantastic films from around the earth – with the possibility of artists presenting the works themselves. U.S. and world premieres will play alongside global festival favorites and select retrospective titles.

Tuesday, October 9thInformation Architechture Panel from AmazonFrom the event invite: What is the role of an Information Architect at Amazon.com? You’re probably burning with curiosity, wondering what an IA does at the world’s largest online retailer. You probably wouldn’t guess that there are only 4 known Information Architects in the entire company! While Amazon has employed browse taxonomists for years, IAs are relatively new to the mix – mostly as a result of the tremendous growth of the company, and the information challenges that come with it. At this IA Meetup, you’ll have the opportunity to meet a panel consisting of three of them: Nick Sweers, Carolyn Tweedy, and Nick Berry. These IAs will inspire you with their pioneer spirit, as they show you how they are defining the practice within a culture dominated by developers.

Friday, October 12th:Seattle Art Museum Community Night OutFrom the SAM Website: Celebrate the creativity and ingenuity of women artists with an evening full of free live music, art making, My Favorite Things tours, performances and workshops inspired by Elles: Pompidou and Elles: SAM. Bring your family, friends, students, kids, parents, and fellow artists—there will be something for everyone! (From the SAM website) Join GeekGirlCon for “Ten Things I Know About You,” a game about famous female geeks and geekery. Spin the wheel for a topic and then name everything you can think of about it in the next 30 seconds. Surprise yourself with how much you know and maybe even win a prize!

Saturday, October 13th – Sunday, October 14th: InfoCamp 2012From the event page: Join us at InfoCamp Seattle 2012 for an exciting weekend of talking & learning about everything information! As always, it will be you, the participants presenting sessions, talking amongst yourselves, and driving the content of InfoCamp!
…Rates are $60 for professionals, $20 for students for the 2 day event including lunch and snacks…This year will return to Mary Gates Hall at the UW. As well as the unconference format, we are featuring two speakers in 2012: Seattle City Librarian, Marcellus Turner, will start things off on Saturday before we move to the participant-led sessions and discussion. On Sunday, we will feature Information Architect and educator, Dan Klyn, to get us jazzed for another day of enthralling discussion between the participants. For more information, see the Seattle InfoCamp Blog.

Sunday, October, 14th: Dominoes and SuchFrom the event page: “What are we doing? Dominoes (or other games depending on the mood), chatting about anything sci-fi related, drinking (caffeinated or unleaded), and general silliness. We start around 10:30 a.m. or so and play until whenever (usually 2:00 p.m.), feel free to come early or late; punctuality isn’t important.”

Friday, October 19th:Geeklesque: Unites!From the website:In times of crisis, those with great powers often come together. Leagues are formed; things get avenged; clothes… are taken off?! Critical Hit Burlesque (Portland, OR) and Jo Jo Stiletto Events (Seattle, WA) are teaming up this fall to bring you Geeklesque Unites! Geeklesque Unites will feature some of the best geek-themed burlesque from around the Pacific Northwest, for one night only on Friday, October 19, 2012.

Sunday, October, 28th: Dominoes and SuchFrom the event page: What are we doing? Dominoes (or other games depending on the mood), chatting about anything sci-fi related, drinking (caffeinated or unleaded), and general silliness. We start around 10:30 a.m. or so and play until whenever (usually 2:00 p.m.), feel free to come early or late; punctuality isn’t important.

September is a nutritious snack, as well as a month to look forward to!

Hi everyone! GeekGirlCon ‘12 came to a close early August, and we on staff are rested and ready to get back out for some nerdy events in the Seattle area! Take a look!

Friday, August 31st – Sunday, September 2nd:SOLD OUT: PAX PrimeThree-day gaming expo brought to you by the folks of Penny Arcade

Friday, August 31st – Saturday, September 1st:SOLD OUT: Whedonesque BurlesqueFrom the event page: “Seattle’s finest geeky burlesque performers are daring to take inspiration from the Whedonverse: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The Avengers, Firefly, Dr. Horrible’s Sing-a-long Blog, Dollhouse, Angel, and yes, maybe even Cabin in the Woods. It’s the summer of Joss and we’re baring ourselves in his honor! This shindig is a celebration of the evil genius that is Joss Whedon AND the fans who love him.”

Saturday, September 1stDoctor Who Season Seven Premiere at 9 p.m. / 8 p.m. Central! (BBCAmerica)Episode description: “In the season opener, ‘Asylum of the Daleks,’ the Doctor is forced on an impossible mission after being kidnapped by his oldest foe – to a place even the Daleks are too terrified to enter…. the Asylum. A planetary prison confining the most terrifying and insane of their kind, the Doctor and the Ponds must find an escape route. But with Amy and Rory’s relationship in meltdown, and an army of mad Daleks closing in, it is up to the Doctor to save their lives, as well as the Pond’s marriage.”

Saturday, September 1st – Monday, September 3rd:Kumoricon 2012Three day anime, manga, and Japanese culture convention located in Vancouver, WA. Kumoricon 2012 is the con’s 10th year.

Sunday, September 9th:Seattle Browncoats: Every 2nd and 4th Dominoes and SuchFrom the event page: “What are we doing? Dominoes (or other games depending on the mood), chatting about anything sci-fi related, drinking (caffeinated or unleaded), and general silliness. We start around 10:30 a.m. or so and play until whenever (usually 2:00 p.m.), feel free to come early or late; punctuality isn’t important.”

Friday, September 21st – Sunday, September 23rd:FoolscapFrom the website: “Foolscap is a small weekend conference where readers, writers, visual artists, and other people who love science fiction and fantasy meet, learn, talk to each other, and have a great time together.”

Saturday, September 22nd:Jet City Comic ShowFrom the website: “Jet City started in order to fill in the void for a quality one-day show for fans and dealers. A show that will be fun and entertaining for the fans, where they will have time to browse all the dealer tables or visit with their favorite creators.”

Sunday, September 23rd:Seattle Browncoats: Every 2nd and 4th Dominoes and SuchFrom the event page: “What are we doing? Dominoes (or other games depending on the mood), chatting about anything sci-fi related, drinking (caffeinated or unleaded), and general silliness. We start around 10:30 a.m. or so and play until whenever (usually 2:00 p.m.), feel free to come early or late; punctuality isn’t important.”

Thursday, September 27th:Seattle Analytic Philosophy ClubFrom the event page: “As this is a philosophy club, we will specifically focus on the moral issues related to equality of condition. The political debate over this issue has moral dimensions in addition to the usual practical ones, particularly as one side often casts the issue as one of fairness. But people of different political persuasions have different definitions of fairness. Is it more fair that those who do more get more, or that there is more equal distribution? Please see the forum post, What’s wrong with the 1%? – Equality and inequality, for a list of questions to consider before the meeting.”

What are you excited to check out in September? Leave us a comment below!

If you have a geeky event you’d like to see on Geek About Town, please email Shubz Blalack at prcontent@geekgirlcon.com. Please keep in mind, that GeekGirlCon does reserve the right to post or not post events at our discretion and all events must be in alignment with our mission statement.

Calling all cosplayers and costume enthusiasts! The good people of Beyond Reality Costumers Guild are hosting BeyondCon on February 18-19th at the Inn At Gig Harbor (Gig Harbor, WA). Hone your costuming skills (or gain new ones!) and meet many others who share your love for community and cosplay.